The Last Clone Trooper
by Reign of Rayne
Summary: Soldier 001 is the prototype of a new "leader class" of clone troopers. Stronger, faster, smarter, and more independent, 001 is made to be a leader. Fighting for Anakin Skywalker and his padawan, Ahsoka Tano, 001 will have to figure out a way to change the tide of the Clone Wars, and maybe even the tide of destiny itself, in order to save the Republic.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Journal Entry 01_

_Date: -/-_

_I am supposed to keep a holo-journal, they told me. Said something about my development._

_They also told me that I was the first in a new line of clones. One that hasn't been tested yet. Apparently, I was the first to survive the genetic alterations to the original clone DNA. They haven't told me how I'm different, just that I'm made to be a commander. Not born, made._

_They were very specific about that._

_They don't have a name for me, not yet, so they call me 001. My training begins tomorrow. I am not to train with the other soldiers until later; they want to test me themselves before that. I don't see why._

_I have seen my brothers, the other clones. I was conscious when they took me off the planet Kamino and put me on this training facility. The other clones looked the same. That makes sense, but I can tell that they are all different._

_They say we are the same only in appearance, that it is our personalities that count. Maybe they are right, but I can't say that for sure. There's something they're not telling me, I know it._

I turned off the holo-journal, already familiar with the feature on my training armor. The suit was lightweight, but I could see that it was durable. Getting up, I stood in front of the tiny mirror in the room I was housed. The only reason I had a mirror at all was because I was "special" which meant that I was treated above my brothers, something I didn't understand. Why single me out if I was supposed to lead my men? Wouldn't it be better to identify with them first?

My face stared back at me, the features almost unrecognizable. I knew I resembled the other clone troopers; strong jaw, military-cut dark brown hair, brown eyes. During the exam when I first woke up, they told me I was six feet tall and completely healthy. They would not stop reassuring me that I was healthy, making me think that there was a reason to be concerned.

My armor was white, unmarked, with white plating and a black undersuit. I didn't have the helmet or any of the weapons that I was sure I would get at some point.

In my small room, I sat back down on the bed. There was no reason to keep thinking. They would tell me what was going on sooner or later. Laying down, I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep, something I'd been doing too much already.

**As you can probably see, this will be a Star Wars/Clone Wars kind of fan fiction. If I end up taking this story seriously, it may go all the way up to Order 66.**

**-RoR**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_[files recovered from archive 3/uncorrupted/clean]_

A loud buzzing woke me up and I was instantly on my feet, looking around my room, wide awake.

"Good," a voice said approvingly. "You're a light sleeper."

I turned, seeing a soldier looking at me, his face covered by a clone helmet. How I understood him and the language already, I didn't know.

"The Lieutenant wants to see you, sir," the trooper continued. His gun was holstered, and I realized he was asking me to go with him. Slowly, I walked over to the trooper and continued to follow him as he led me through plain, gray corridors. Other troopers were walking around, almost indistinguishable from one another minus colored markings on their armor. There seemed to be no pattern in the markings, which confused me.

They all stared at me. I was the man out of place, not them. Most of them weren't wearing helmets, but that didn't make them any easier to distinguish.

The trooper in front of me didn't speak. He acknowledged most of the other soldiers with a nod or gesture, so it was a close-knit community. Already, I felt isolated. I knew I was different from these men; I could feel it.

"In here, sir," the trooper said, stopping outside a door that looked exactly like the other ones. In time, I knew I would become familiar with the layout, but for now it was utterly confusing. I nodded at the soldier and stepped inside, the door sliding open and closed quickly as I did so.

"Soldier 01."

"Sir," I replied stiffly, the words still feeling strange in my mouth.

The trooper in front of me was wearing unique armor. It was similar to what the other troopers were wearing - they called it "phase II" armor - but this soldier had a pauldron, a styled collar piece, two pistol holsters on his thighs, and what I recognized as a kama, a flexible piece of leather attached to the soldier's belt. Blue markings surrounded the visor on his face and went down his arms, accenting the kama at the same time. It was obviously the soldier's way of indicating who he was. If his armor was anything to go by, he was a high-ranking soldier, possibly a commander.

There was another soldier standing slightly behind him, dressed in the same type of armor, though without the kama and pauldron. His markings were also yellow, and he had a visor that could be put over his eyes.

"I am CT-7567," the blue soldier said. "But you can call me Captain Rex."

"I'm CC-2224," the yellow soldier said. "And you can call me Commander Cody."

Not knowing what to say, I simply stood there. It had already been made known to me that, if I did not know what to say, I should say nothing. The commanders looked at each other, then reached up and removed their helmets, tucking them under their arms.

Commander Cody looked as the other troopers did, though his hair was cut slightly shorter. Captain Rex, on the other hand, had dyed blond hair cut close to his skull, an oddity, from what I had seen of the other soldiers. Then again, Rex himself seemed to be an oddity.

"Captain, Commander," I said respectfully, knowing I was supposed to say something. Rex and Cody exchanged another look - they were obviously close friends and comrades - and Rex smirked.

"At least you're respectful. You might be a soldier yet," he commented.

"Sir . . .?"

"You do know your purpose, soldier, right?" Cody asked, his expression unchanging.

"No sir."

"You're the new 'leader' type," Rex said, placing emphasis on the word 'leader'.

"Sir?" If clones like captain Rex and commander Cody were already in command, why was the Republic experimenting with a new type?

"Yeah," Cody continued, a slight frown on his face. "With the Separtists getting tougher, the Jedi decided they needed to step up their game, so they . . . updated the clone tablet."

"They want natural leaders," Rex clarified, elbowing Cody. Their relationship was almost brotherly. "Not just leaders who rise to the occasion, like Cody and me, but clones who are bred for the purpose of leading."

"Permission to speak freely, sir," I asked, beginning to get the hang of talking.

"Permission granted," Rex replied.

"If I am to be a leader, why am I housed separately from my men? Wouldn't it be better for me to get to know the troops I am supposed to command?"

"That's a good question, soldier," Cody responded. "But your troops - the ones you will eventually command - have been in training for longer than you have. You still need to go through the basics."

I took a deep breath, knowing that "the basics" were about as enjoyable as they sounded. "Yes, sir."

"You will listen to Lieutenant Seth, understood?" As Rex finished speaking, another trooper stepped into view. He was similar to me in armor, but wore a kama. His color was dark green, and he appeared to use a standard rifle as a weapon. From what I could tell, Captain Rex's choice of weapon was unique.

"Understood, sir."

"Soldier," Lieutenant Seth said to me, nodding slightly. He removed his helmet, and I saw that he was completely bald, his hair shaved off. A jagged scar ran from his forehead to his right ear, and I knew I would not forget him. He had an aura of experience, but not the same as the commander and captain next to him.

"Lieutenant."

"I am to oversee your basic and advanced training," Lt. Seth explained. "Captain Rex and Commander Cody will oversee your leadership training."

"Understood, sir."

"We will start with weapons training, soldier. Follow me."

The lieutenant began walking out and I followed suit, feeling the gazes of Cody and Rex on my back.

Journal Entry 02

_Date: -/-_

_The weapons training is in an hour. They told me to keep my journal whenever possible, even if it is inconvenient. I don't understand why they are asking me to do this, though I suspect that it is because I am the first "altered" clone of the leader type._

_This is annoying me. If I am a leader, as they enjoy reminding me, why treat me so specially? It doesn't fit._

_I will keep the journal that I am supposed to keep, but it will not be in-depth. That is all I am willing to do for these men, brothers or not._

**Yeahhhhh don't expect too much updating for this. It's really a side project.**

**-RoR**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_[Files recovered from file 283 uncorrupted/clean]_

"001," the Lieutenant said, standing at my door. He wasn't wearing his helmet. "Time for weapons training."

"Yes sir," I replied, getting up. I followed the lieutenant through more hallways, and saw him acknowledge the troopers in the same ways as the original clone trooper had. After a minute or so, the lieutenant seemed to decide that he should talk to me.

"So, 001," he began, "how long ago did you wake up?"

I thought for a moment, the memories difficult to reach. "A week, sir."

"So you're fairly new," he commented.

"I guess so, sir."

The lieutenant gave me a look. "You don't talk much."

"There's no reason to talk, sir."

"For the sake of conversation, soldier."

"Sir?"

He sighed. "Never mind, 001."

The numbers he called me . . . I was beginning to understand why the soldiers made nicknames. The numbers didn't seem to fit; they were too formulaic, too measured. Names flicked through my head, but none of them worked. I was a soldier, a clone, not someone who was supposed to get a name.

"Here we are." The lieutenant stopped by a door that slid open as soon as he got close. I stepped inside, and saw that I was in a basic armory. Weapons lined the walls, including various guns, grenades, and armors. "Sit." Complying, I watched as the lieutenant pulled down two guns from the racks.

"This is a DC-155 blaster carbine," lieutenant Seth told me, setting them down on the low table in front of me, "and it's going to become your new best friend." I looked at the black carbine, seeing where the ammo clip went in, the grip, and the folding stock. "And this," the lieutenant continued, "is a DC-15A blaster rifle. Think of it as the carbine's bigger cousin." The rifle was significantly larger than its counterpart, but held many of the same characteristics. I noticed a grappling cable, as well as a scope.

"It has different settings," I noted, seeing the wiring on the top of the gun.

"Yes, it does. I want you to be able to take both of these guns apart, clean them, and put them back together by the end of tomorrow. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. They are not loaded, but there are empty clips. Captain Rex did this in two hours, Commander Cody in two and a half. If you're the new leader type, you've got work to do."

"Understood, sir."

Lieutenant Seth got up and walked out of the armory, leaving me with the two weapons on the table.

I spent the first fifteen minutes simply examining the weapons, committing their completed look to memory so that I had a model. Starting with the DC-155 blaster carbine, I took the pieces off one by one, making sure that I knew how they fit together before I set them down on the table. There was a cleaning tool next to me and I used it readily, finishing easily. It took me twenty minutes to fully understand the carbine, and I quickly began to reconstruct it, going through each step multiple times to make sure it was correct.

Just as I finished reconstructing the carbine, the door slid open and a clone trooper walked in. They seemed to not wear helmets while in the training facility.

"Something wrong?" I asked, positive that I was at least the same rank as this trooper. The man shrugged.

"We were ordered to check on you every half an hour or so," he replied. Only then did he seem to notice that the guns weren't disassembled, and I could see an expression of surprise cross his face. "Have you . . . started yet?"

So things were more casual between clone troopers. I could understand that kind of camaraderie.

"Yes." I gave nothing away in my reply.

The soldier left, muttering something unintelligible as he did.

Quickly, I moved onto the rifle, examining it in the same way that I had the carbine. It was larger, more complicated, but I could see the logic in its construction. Carefully, I pulled off each part, making sure that I could put it back before moving onto the next one.

Soon, I had a completely disassembled rifle in front of me, which I cleaned much as I had the carbine. After making sure that I had all the pieces clean and ready, I began reassembling it, putting the pieces back together like a puzzle. I finished right as the door slid open and the soldier walked back in.

"I'm finished," I said before the trooper could speak. He looked at me in much more obvious surprise.

"It's only been an hour and fifteen minutes, sir," he told me. I shrugged.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm finished," I replied.

"I'll tell the lieutenant." The soldier tapped the comm. device on the forearm of his armor. While he spoke into it, I checked and saw that I did not have that device, most likely because I was not a soldier yet. "The lieutenant will be here in a minute."

"Got it."

We waited, not even trying to have a conversation. Vaguely, I wondered if the soldier knew that I was special. Probably not, I decided. The Republic wouldn't want the secret new soldier to be revealed to the Separtists, and there were likely spies in the training facility no matter how much the Republic probably said there weren't.

The door slid open and lieutenant Seth stepped in. The soldier immediately straightened and soluted.

"At ease," the lieutenant told him. "You're not the one in training right now." He gave me a look, and I realized that I was supposed to be standing and saluting. I did so quickly.

"Sorry, sir," I said.

Seth didn't seem to particularly care that my solute was delayed, though I had a feeling he would not tolerate it the next time.

"You said you were finished, 001?"

"Yes, sir."

The clone and I watched as Seth inspected the weapons on the table.

"They are clean," he commented.

"You requested that, sir," I said, not sure if he intended me to respond.

"Yes, I did," Seth replied. "Take them apart."

"Sir?"

"Take the weapons apart," Seth repeated slowly. "That was part of the instruction as well."

"Yes, sir."

I moved over to the table and picked up the carbine. Moving efficiently, I took the gun apart, placing the pieces on the table as I did so. The entire process took around half a minute.

The trooper looked at me in surprise. Apparently he thought that I really hadn't started each time he walked in, something I found slightly offensive. Did they really have that low of expectations for new soldiers?

"The other one," Seth ordered, nodding towards the rifle. Mentally shrugging, I picked up the rifle and took it apart as well, putting its parts on the opposite side of the table as the carbine's pieces.

The rifle, being larger than the carbine, took me about forty-five seconds.

"Done, sir," I said, turning to face Lieutenant Seth. He regarded me, looking thoughtful. Seth eventually nodded.

"Impressive. That took you only an hour and fifteen minutes to figure out how both weapons worked, clean them, and correctly put them back together."

"Thank you, sir," I replied.

"Can you shoot them?" The lieutenant asked me, holding out the carbine.

"Sir, I have never shot a gun before. And it probably is not an advised decision to shoot a weapon in a room full of weapons."

"I meant in the shooting range, soldier."

"Of course, sir."

"Come on, soldier," Seth said, walking out of the room. "Bring the guns."

"Yes, sir," I replied, picking up the guns. I could put both of them across my back thanks to what I assumed were magnetic clips. As I walked out, the soldier fell in line behind me.

We made it to the shooting range in a little over a minute. The range was a large room, about 250 feet in length, with targets set up at various intervals. Other clones were visible, at least two squads holding rifles and firing at the droid-shaped targets. It took me a second to see that some of the targets moved, adding to the challenge.

Seth led me to a spot on the range and gestured for me to start.

"Use the rifle first," he instructed. He probably wanted me to start with the rifle because it had a scope.

"Yes, sir."

"But put this on."

I paused, turning and seeing Seth holding out a helmet towards me. It was a standard Phase I helmet, but I couldn't help but wonder where Seth had gotten it. He hadn't been holding it when he'd walked me over here.

Grabbing the helmet, I put it on. It fit easily and I took a second to adapt to the Heads-Up Display.

"The HUD shows your number of grenades, ammunition, and approximate aim," Seth explained. "It's linked with your armor. The entire system is standard issue. Now, hit each target."

"Yes, sir."

The gun felt light in my hands, and I immediately knew what to do. I looked through the scope at the first target, twenty-five feet away. My finger tightened on the trigger, and the target dropped. The same happened at fifty feet, seventy-five feet, and 100 feet. At 150 feet, I hit the arm of the droid, and at 200 feet, I missed entirely. At 225 feet, I knew I would miss, and I did.

"Use the carbine," Seth instructed when I turned to look at him, indicating that I was done with the rifle. He gave no sign as to what he was thinking.

Without the scope, I was only able to hit targets up to 100 feet. It wasn't good shooting, I knew that.

"Not bad," Seth told me.

"But sir, I missed a few of the targets," I protested, holstering the gun.

"You said yourself that this was the first time you have ever held and shot a gun. You were made a week ago, soldier. Don't expect too much."

"But sir-"

"Soldier, you need to go back to your quarters. You will be given food, and then you will be taken to your leadership lessons. After that, report to the gym for overall training."

"Yes, sir." Any protest I had been about to make was forgotten as I made my way back to my quarters, led by the soldier.

"What's your designation?" I asked as we walked. I done with long, silent walks.

"3343," he replied. "They call me Threes."

"Creative," I commented. Threes smirked.

"You will get a nickname soon enough, 001."

We arrived at the door to my room. It opened, and I stepped inside.

"Maybe," I replied as the door shut.

_Journal entry 3_

_Date: -/-_

_I am a leader who isn't connected with the people I am supposed to lead. Supposedly, I need the extra training, but I can tell that Threes was impressed with my shooting. I am already somewhat skilled in using weapons._

_They likely planned it this way. That's why I did not stay on Kamino; I was already more skilled than most of the new soldiers._

_That, and I am not exactly like them. _

_Lieutenant Seth seems like a good soldier, and he was evidently surprised at how easily I was able to assemble and disassemble those weapons. By beating Commander Cody and Captain Rex's time, I am marking myself as different._

_I hope it's not a mistake._

**Apparently people like Star Wars . . .**

**Review if you can/want to!**

**-RoR**


	4. Chapter 4

_Journal Entry 7_

_Date: -/-_

_Training is not going any easier. They are pushing me harder and harder each time. For some reason, I can't sleep, and they don't seem to care. Rex and Cody are great leaders, but it's difficult for me to understand what they are trying to tell me without actually having experienced it._

_Lieutenant Seth and Threes are helping me on the physical side of training; I've sparred with both more times than I can count. They are stronger than I am, but I'm faster. Threes keeps telling me that I'm not meant for frontlines combat. I guess that means they told him about my purpose in this army._

_I can't help but think that he is wrong. A good leader is at the front lines of battle. Only a coward wastes lives from the back._

Corruption . . .

Retrieving data . . .

Processing . . .

Refining . . .

Complete. Loading . . .

_This idea that I am a born - made - leader bothers me. From the way these soldiers act, it's obvious that they don't have much respect for me. I need to gain respect, not just assume that I have it. Just like leadership, I can see that respect is earned, not given._

_My weapon training is going well. Seth tells me that I am progressing more quickly with weaponry than any other clone he's ever seen. While I doubt that that is true, I believe it is in my genetics. Being the "leader class" has its advantages._

_There is something else I've noticed about the men. I think it's-_

Corruption . . .

Retrieving data . . .

. . .

. . .

Data not found . . .

Scanning . . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

Scan failed.

**It's going to take a while for 001 to start meeting up with some of the other characters, like Anakin and Ashoka (yes, Ashoka is in this story). I'm planning on making this an "alternate universe" kind of thing, with a huge plot twist/cliffhanger at the end, if I get that far.**

**Thanks for the review, ashokatano191! I think I can guess what character you're waiting for . . .**

**-RoR**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_[files retrieved from archive 4 uncorrupted/clean]_

Lieutenant Seth had given me my weapons, the ones that I would be using for the rest of my time as a clone. My weapons were dual DC-17 hand blasters, modified for higher accuracy, higher rate of fire, and multiple power settings. They somewhat resembled Captain Rex's.

"Heavier than I was expecting, sir," I commented when Seth handed them to me. Seth smirked. We'd become closer over the course of my training, and maintained a respectful sort of friendship.

"That's not all of it," Seth replied. "You're going to help a squad of troops today."

"Sir?"

"You're going to practice being a leader," he explained. "There will be an objective, and it's your job to get your troopers there."

"Yes, sir." I had already completed all of the "leader classes" that Captain Rex and Commander Cody could give me, so it was logical that I would need to apply them. I just hadn't been expecting to do it so quickly.

"But you'll need new armor, first."

"New armor, sir?" My armor was fine. It wasn't damaged at all, minus a few scuffmarks and practice blaster marks from training.

"Of course. Come on, 001."

They still didn't have a nickname for me, something that was apparently unusual. Usually, I saw clones get nicknames within a few days of arriving, but I had been at the facility for two weeks and I was still referred to as "001".

I followed Lieutenant Seth through more hallways, heading towards a level I wasn't familiar with.

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" I asked, walking more quickly so that I was beside him.

"Permission granted, 001."

"I've never gone outside of this facility and you're already giving me the armor I am probably going to wear for the rest of my life. Why?"

Seth sighed.

"Technically, I'm not supposed to tell you this, soldier, but I will anyway." He took a deep breath as we turned into a different hallway. "We're losing the war."

"Sir?"

"You heard me. The Outer Rim planets are falling fast, and fleets of our best cruisers are getting destroyed. That's why you were created; you're supposed to turn the tide."

"How can one clone change the tide of a war?"

"Slowly."

Seth stopped speaking and I dropped back behind him, realizing the time for casual talking was over. We stopped by a new door, this one guarded by a fully armored clone carrying a rifle.

"Lieutenant," the clone said.

"Let us through, soldier," Seth replied. The clone stepped aside and the door slid open, revealing another armory. I followed Seth inside as the door shut behind me. The guns in the holsters on my thighs felt heavy, but I knew I would get used to their weight eventually.

"Over here, 001," Seth said, standing next to a suit of armor I hadn't noticed.

It was similar to Captain Rex's, but its coloring was different. Instead of blue, the lines and accents were black. There was also a Republic logo emblazoned on the left breast, over where my heart would be. The helmet was also different, a Phase II instead of the more familiar Phase I. It was what the ARC troopers wore, I knew. There was a holster on each outer thigh for my pistols.

"Sir," I said, disbelieving. "With all due respect, this armor can't be mine. I am not that high of a rank yet."

"Yes you are, 001," Seth replied. "As of right now, you are ranked as a sergeant."

While I knew that a promotion so quickly and seemingly without reason was important, I still couldn't help but protest.

"Lieutenant, this armor is designed for captains or commanders, not sergeants. Even the weapons you've given me are more suited for higher ranks."

"Soldier," Seth sighed, "you're going to take the armor, you're going to put it on, and you're not going to complain, got it?"

"Sir yes sir!" Sometimes, I simply couldn't argue.

A few minutes later, I was wearing my new armor. It was much more comfortable than my old armor, and when I put the helmet on I could see that the systems were much more advanced. It was also lighter, I noted, as I examined the arms.

"You've given me a communication unit," I noted, seeing the small device on my forearm.

"Yes, we have," Seth replied. "You're going to need it for your final test."

"Final test, sir?" I asked, confused. "I've only been here for two weeks."

"Listen, CT-001," Seth said quietly, "you're very important to the Republic. There are hundreds of thousands of our brothers out there who are dying for this cause. In order to save their lives, you need to help us win this war. Are you going to do that, or are you going to continue to question the system?"

The CT was the new addition to my name because I was a sergeant now, simply because the Republic needed me out there sooner.

"No, sir," I said quietly.

"What was that, CT-001?"

"No, sir!" I repeated, standing straight. Seth nodded approvingly.

"Good. Now get going. Your squad is in barrack six. Oh," Seth added, "the higher-ups want you to make another journal before you get there, so do that."

"Yes, sir!"

I walked out, feeling the gaze of each trooper in the hallway on my back. I'd been there for two weeks and already had the equipment of a captain; what gave me the right? My DNA?

_Journal entry 8_

_Date: -/-_

_So now I am a sergeant. If this promotion means anything significant, they haven't told me yet. Obviously, they intend to make me a captain, or even a commander._

_They want me to win a war. What makes them think that one clone with altered DNA can do what the rest of the Republic can't?_

_. . ._

_I've come to a realization._

_Hope can make people believe in the craziest ideas._

**Some of the chapters will be really short, as you've probably noticed by now. Sorry about that, but it's how this story is told; through journals and some first-person narration. And yes, some of the "recovered files" are corrupt, which is when you'll get your short journal chapters.**

**It might be me getting a bit lazy, or it might not.**

**Review, please!**

**-RoR**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_[files recovered from file 2298 uncorrupted/clean]_

"Your soldiers are in that room," Seth told me, gesturing to a door that looked exactly like every other door in the hallway.

"You're really serious about this," I muttered. "They will have no respect for me."

"But you are ranked more highly than them."

"All due respect, sir, but loyalty comes from more than rank."

Seth regarded me for a moment. "You'll be fine, CT-001. Now go lead."

You say it like it's simple, I thought as Seth walked away. With my helmet tucked under my arm, I walked through the door.

The troopers I was going to lead in my "final test" were spread throughout the barracks, either standing and talking to each other, arm wrestling, or lying down on their beds. They were wearing practice armor, like I had; cheaper, lighter, and designed to take rounds from practice guns which would lock up the armor, simulating "death" or "injury", depending on where you were hit.

When the door shut, each soldier - all nine of them - turned to look at me. Instantly, they scrambled to stand in front of me, saluting.

"At ease," I said, looking at each of them. They all looked the same, not having been in training long enough to get distinguishing marks.

"As you all know," I began, "you are about to begin your final test. Lieutenant Seth has asked me to lead you, as part of my training." If they didn't like that decision, they did a good job of not showing it. "I know that all of you have never met me before, so let's begin this test with some introductions. Soldiers who are not brothers are doomed to fall. So, you-" I looked at the solder on the far right- "designation, please."

"Soldier 3445, sir!"

"Do they call you anything?" I asked. "A nickname?"

The soldiers all exchanged a look, probably not used to their superiors asking about names. As far as I knew, non-clones discouraged clones having anything but numbers to identify themselves by.

"They call me Delta, sir!"

I nodded, then looked at the next soldier.

"Soldier 3567, sir! They call me Gunner, sir!"

"Soldier 3668, sir! They call me Sixes, sir!"

"Soldier 3444, sir! They call me Fours, sir!"

"Soldier 3788, sir! They call me Trade, sir!"

"Soldier 3890, sir! They call me Deuce, sir!"

"Soldier 3884, sir! They call me Snipe, sir!"

"Soldier 3895, sir! They call me Rounds, sir!"

"Soldier 3999, sir! They call me Nines, sir!"

With the lack of proper names, I thought, it made sense that the clones would come up with their own . . . different ones.

"You are all a part of Red squad," I said, seeing the color marked throughout the walls. "I am your new sergeant, CT-001. As of right now," I added, feeling a wry smile come out, an expression that I rarely used, "I don't have a name."

The soldiers looked at me in surprise, probably not expecting a sergeant to be wearing my armor, much less being so casual.

"Listen up, men!" I said loudly, getting their attention again, "which one of you is the best shot?"

"I am, sir!" The soldier called Snipe stepped up. Since none of the other soldiers stepped up, I nodded.

"Good. During the test, you are to hang back at the main point and provide cover fire. If you see the droids doing anything suspicious, call it out."

"Sir yes sir!"

"How many of you are good at medium-range combat?" I asked. Four of the soldiers stepped up: Nines, Sixes, Fours, and Trade. "Good. You four are going to be taking the brunt of the fighting. I need to you distract the droids and keep them occupied." On the way over, Seth had told me about the goal of the exercise. There was a flag at the top of a Separtist "fortress", and at least one clone had to get up to the flag and take it out.

"Sir yes sir!" The four men said, moving to stand beside Snipe and I. The remaining four men looked at me.

"Gunner," I said, seeing the surprise on the soldier's face when he realized that I already remembered his name after hearing it only once, "I want you to assist these four-" I gestured to the four men next to me- "with distracting the droids. You're going to be given a heavy weapon, and I need you to use it on any heavy-duty droids you see, understood?"

"Sir yes sir!"

"Let me be clear, soldier," I said, "do _not_ use your weapon on anything but the heavy droids. We can't have you wasting ammunition."

"Understood, sir!"

"And you three," I said, turning to face the last couple clones. "You get the exciting task of getting through the droids and making it to the flag. I will be joining you. Rounds, Delta, Deuce - our job is going to be difficult. Make sure you carry lighter weaponry, and wait for my signal. In the meantime, help the other four thin out the number of droids."

"Sir yes sir!"

"Good," I said approvingly. "Let's move it to the training area, boys. We've got a fortress to conquer!"

. . .

The fortress that my squad and I were supposed to conquer was large, with multiple "droids" - practice models made by the Republic for training purposes, which only shot stun blasts - patrolling it.

"Snipe," I hissed into my comm. unit, hiding behind a ridge in the "landscape" of the massive room, "I need a little bit of intel!"

_"There's at least twenty battle droids in front of the main entrance."_

"And?"

_"Another ten super battle droids patrolling the area about thirty yards from your current position. I'm seeing four destroyers on the battlements, and ten assassin droids spread throughout the area."_

"Destroyers?" I'd practiced against many of them; their shields were extremely difficult to get past with ordinary blasters.

_"Yes, sir. Four destroyers."_

"Keep scoping the area. Mark any paths to the fortress that you can see; I want the best possible routes."

Normally, I knew, I would have already scouted the area, but I would have to make to with Snipe.

"Gunner, how many rockets do you have?"

_"Five, sir."_

"What's your range?" The typical medium-range rocket launcher could go 450 yards, but in experienced hands they could go much farther.

_"About 550 yards, sir."_

The fortress was only 400 yards away. Gunner was positioned behind a stand of rocks about twenty yards to my right, which meant that he could take out the destroyers before we even had to deal with them.

_"Sir," _Gunner said, _"should I shoot the destroyer droids? They're within range."_

"No," I replied. "We need controlled chaos; we're outnumbered and, from what Snipe has told me, outgunned. We'll need to do this carefully."

_"Sir?"_

"Nines, Sixes, Fours, Trade!"

_"Sir!"_ All four of their voices called in simultaneously.

"On my signal, I want each of you to throw a smoke grenade exactly twenty yards in front of you."

_"Yes sir!"_

"What will throwing a few smoke grenades do to take down this fortress?" Rounds asked from next to me.

"Cover," I replied. "Deuce, Delta, Rounds, when those grenades go off, I want you to sneak around the east side of the fortress. Neutralize any droids that see you, and _make sure_ they do not notify the other droids. Once there, wait for Gunner to take out the destroyer droids on the battlements. Nines, Fours, Sixes, Trade, and I will handle the rest of the droids. Snipe, you take out any droids that might be a problem. Focus on the assassin droids. Is that understood?"

_"Sir yes sir!"_

"Understood, sir," Rounds said.

"On my mark," I said, looking over the ridge at the droid fortress. "Three . . . two . . . one . . . mark."

On cue, four smoke grenades went off, close enough to the droids to startle them, but not close enough for the smoke to cloud Snipe's vision. Already, Deuce, Delta, and Rounds were sprinting for the fortress.

"Snipe! I need that cover fire!"

_"Coming right up, sir!"_

The distant sound of gunshots reached me. Smiling, I pulled out my practice pistols and sprinted for where Nines and his men were fighting the main bulk of the droids.

"Good to see you, sir," Nines called. He was firing his blaster rifle at a super battle droid, somehow avoiding being hit himself.

"Just keep firing, Nines," I replied, priming and throwing a grenade at a group of battle droids who had gotten too close to one another.

_"Sir, this is Deuce. We're in position."_

"Copy that. Gunner, take out those destroyer droids!"

_"On it, sir!"_

Distantly, I saw Gunner step out of cover, far enough away that the droids wouldn't hit him. His launcher went up-

_"Snipers!" _Snipe's voice jarred through the helmet comm. unit._ "Sir! They've got snipers!"_

"Gunner!" I yelled, "Get down!"

It was too late. I saw the jerk of Gunner's body as the energy bolt hit him in the right shoulder, knocking him to the ground. In real combat, I knew he would be gravely injured, if not dead. Considering that this was practice, I knew he was technically fine, but the mission was in jeopardy.

_"Sir, should we advance?"_

"No, Delta. Stay where you are; those destroyer droids are still firing."

"Sir, I can go help gunner!" Nines dove to the cover I was behind. Even through his helmet, I could tell that he was determined.

"No, soldier," I responded. "I'll do it. Keep these droids occupied."

"But sir-"

"Do it, soldier!"

"Yes, sir!"

Red bolts shot over my head as I rolled out from cover, firing my pistols at any droids whose aim was uncomfortably good. Time seemed to slow as I dove from ridge to ridge, somehow staying out of the direct lines of fire and taking out multiple droids as I did so.

_"Sir, you've got an assassin droid on your tail!"_

"I see it, Snipe," I grunted, rolling as the droid's energy bullets came a bit too close to my head. "Can you take it out?"

_"I'll need a clearer line of sight, sir."_

"Give me a second."

I was almost to where Gunner was, but if I brought the assassin droid too close I would end up getting Gunner "killed" and permanently taken out of the battle.

"Snipe, I want you to focus on getting rid of those droid snipers. I'll handle the assassin droid."

_"Yes, sir!"_

Diving behind a rock about ten yards from where Gunner lay groaning, I waited for the droid. It took a few seconds, but eventually I saw it creeping up, gun at the ready. When it saw Gunner, its weapon came up, metallic fingers tightening on the trigger.

"Oh no you don't," I growled, coming out from behind the rock and firing a single blast. The droid collapsed, a mark in the center of its head to indicate where I'd shot it.

"Nice shot, Sergeant," Gunner gasped from the ground.

"Can you walk, soldier?" I responded, crouching next to him. He nodded.

"My right arm's dead, sir. I can't lift the launcher."

"That's fine." Carefully, I picked him up and placed him behind a nearby ridge, out of firing range.

_"Snipers are down, sir," _Snipe reported.

"Nice work, soldier. Help Nines and those men keep those droids distracted."

_"Yes, sir."_

_"Sir," _Deuce reported, _"Those destroyer droids are looking too close to us. We're about to get discovered."_

"No, you're not."

Running back out on to the battlefield, I reached down and scooped up Gunner's rocket launcher. Checking the readout, I saw that it was fully loaded; I had five shots.

"Better make this count," I muttered, looking through the sights. I'd only shot a launcher a few times, but I knew I was skilled. Taking a deep breath, I focused on the shielded destroyer droids, relaxed, and pulled the trigger. I did it once more to get rid of the droids on the other battlement.

_"Nice shot, sir!"_

"Keep on the lookout, Snipe," I replied. "We can't celebrate just yet. Deuce, Delta, Rounds - get to that flag!"

_"On our way, sir!"_

_"Sir, there's a tank coming out on the east side!" _Snipe sounded panicked.

"Nines, distract that tank!" I ordered, quickly adjusting my aim. I didn't have a direct line of sight towards the tank, but I _could_ see a convenient overhanging bit of fortress right above where the tank should be.

_"_Distract _a tank, sir?"_

"Just do it, Nines!"

The distant sound of a Separtist tank firing reached my ears, and I flinched. In simulations, those tanks had been a pain to disable. If I was close enough, I could sneak around the back and rewire the tank, either shutting it down or making it explode, but I would have to make do with crushing it.

Carefully, I took aim and pulled the trigger again.

_"Get outta there, Nines!" _Snipe called, seeing what I was doing.

The piece of fortress fell, and I saw a large explosion. Smiling slightly, I saw Deuce, Delta, and Rounds make it to the top of the fortress and pull out the glowing red flag, which turned green as they held it.

"Mission accomplished, men," I stated, my satisfied smile remaining as I set down the rocket launcher.

**Review, anyone? Really, feedback would be awesome. Let me know what you think!**

**-RoR**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_[files recovered from archive 8 uncorrupted/clean]_

_Journal entry 9_

_Date: -/-_

_My training is already finished. That, in itself, is strange. Clones like Gunner, Deuce, and that squad told me that they have been training for ten years, that they "grew up" in the facility. How, then, did I wake up at the same stage as them, and then become just as skilled as they are in just two weeks?_

_Everyone keeps telling me that it's my advanced DNA. I was _designed_ to learn quickly, to adapt. If that's so, why not make more of me? From what I can tell, it's obvious that the "prototype" of the leader class works. I feel fine._

_Then again, a bunch of soldiers like me - stronger, independent - would not work well on the battlefield. Leaders need people who are willing to listen to them in order to fight; if the clones wouldn't fight, the Republic would lose._

_I am leaving this facility soon to go to Coruscant, where I will need to meet with the Jedi Council. Apparently, they are taking great interest in me. I'm not sure if that interest is positive or negative. Rex and Cody seem fine with whatever is going on, so it's been planned in advance._

Sighing, I turned off the journal feature on my armor's comm. unit. Apparently, I was the only clone who had that feature. For some reason, I wasn't surprised.

"Sir, the shuttle is waiting for you."

I looked up and saw Threes standing in the doorway, a blaster rifle in his hands. He was wearing his helmet, and I realized that this was a formal occasion.

"I suppose that means I need to put on my helmet," I said. Threes nodded, stepping out of the doorway as I walked past him. My helmet was under my arm, but as I walked next to Threes I put it on. It was beginning to feel more natural to have it on, more comfortable.

Seeing a few of the men I'd led during the final test, I nodded to each of them and got a small gesture in return.

"This way, sir," Threes told me, stepping into a lift. I followed, standing beside Threes as the lift descended rapidly. After a few seconds, the doors opened, revealing the massive hangar of the facility.

There was a shuttle waiting, with Commander Cody and Captain Rex talking in front of it. Threes and I walked over.

"He's here, sir!" Threes said, saluting Commander Cody.

"At ease, soldier," Cody replied, looking at me. With his helmet on, he looked much more intimidating. "You ready to leave, troopers?"

"We're both leaving, sir?" I asked, confused.

"It will be explained on the way," Rex said. "Come on. We've got a schedule to keep."

I followed them up the boarding ramp, getting the feeling that I was never going to see this facility again.

After strapping in, I felt the jolt of the shuttle taking off. A few moments later, the pilot announced that we were jumping to hyperspace. For a second, everything slowed down, and then resumed normal speed. If there were windows on the transport, I knew that the outside space would look like a blur of blue hues. Closing my eyes, I leaned back, finding that the padding in my suit actually made it comfortable to rest on the seat.

"CT-001!" Rex snapped. "Now is not the time to rest."

"Sorry, sir," I replied, my eyes snapping open as I looked at the captain.

"You were going to explain why soldier 3343 is accompanying us," Commander Cody prompted Rex, who gave him an irritated look.

"I know. Give me a second."

Threes and I, sitting next to each other, exchanged a look. Rex and Cody were on the row opposite of us, their helmets on the seats next to them. Seeing that, I removed my helmet as well, putting it in the seat to my right. Threes did the same.

"So, CT-001," Rex began, "the Jedi Council decided that you would need someone to . . . monitor you."

"I need a monitor, sir?" I asked, frowning. "Why?"

"Soldier," Cody said, "you have to remember that you are the pilot of a new type of soldier, engineered to lead troops for the Jedi."

"For the Jedi, sir? Not the Republic?"

Cody and Rex exchanged a look, something they did way too much.

"Same thing, CT-001," Rex eventually replied. "The Jedi are a part of the Republic."

"Yes, sir, you have taught me that. But that doesn't explain why a need a . . . babysitter." I shot Threes an apologetic look with the last statement, but he just shrugged, not seeming to care.

"Soldier, the Jedi Council is concerned that you could have defective DNA," Cody stated bluntly. "They was Threes over there to watch you, to make sure you don't just drop dead or go insane. Understood?"

I was surprised at the harshness in the commander's tone, but then again I was being fairly questioning for a sergeant speaking to a commander.

"Understood, sir!" Threes and I said. The conversation lapsed into silence.

"Remember, soldier," Rex was saying as we waited for the ship to land, "as of right now, you are unranked."

"Unranked, sir?"

"The only reason you were promoted to sergeant in the first place was for your final test, to see if you could effectively handle combat in the field."

"And?"

"Soldier, that's all the explanation you are going to get from me. The Jedi don't exactly tell us everything. Just remember that you do not have a rank. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

The ship jolted, but I kept my balance.

"Let's go," Cody ordered as the ramp went down. Outside, I saw the city of Coruscant, and I momentarily paused to take it in. It was storming, rain pelting the smooth metallic landing pad the shuttle had landed on. Even so, I could easily see the speeders flying through the air in never-ending streams, massive buildings stretching towards the sky, lit up in the darkness.

"Never thought I'd come here," Threes said from behind me. I turned, seeing him looking around, his helmet tucked under his arm. I was holding my helmet.

"We should put our helmets on," I responded. Since I was "unranked", I could probably be more casual with Threes. Probably. He nodded, and we both put on our helmets.

"I think they put in a comms. unit in our helmets." Threes' voice came right in my ear, and I flinched, turning to him.

"Why?"

He had the same reaction, and I couldn't help but grin.

"If I'm supposed to be your 'babysitter'," Threes replied slowly, thinking it through as he spoke, "it would make sense if we had our own comms. channel."

"I guess. It's a little weird."

"A little."

"You two coming?" Rex called, turning back to us.

"Yes, sir!" We replied, jogging over to the captain as he walked towards the massive Jedi Temple. Through the rain, all I could see was a massive, hulking shape as the captain and commander led Threes and I through a doorway, guarded by clones wearing gray armor. Color, I realized, must signify more than the wearer's preference. It could also mean position in some cases.

"Captain Rex," one of the guards said, saluting. Rex nodded at the clone as he walked through. They evidently knew each other, but not that closely.

We were halfway through the grand hall that led to the Jedi Council room when I had to stop.

"Soldier!" Rex said, coming back. I waved him off, groaning.

"I'm fine, sir," I managed. "Just a headache, that's all." I stood up, shaking my head to clear it. "It's gone now."

"If you say so, soldier," Rex replied, turning back around. "Let's hurry. We're already late."

"Are you sure you're fine?" Threes asked me over our apparently private comms. channel.

"Yeah. Positive. You don't need to worry, Threes. I'm a clone trooper. I can handle myself."

"Sure you can. That's why they assigned me to you."

"Shut up." Though the words were harsh, my tone was good-natured. Threes shook his head, but didn't say anything else. Already, I was getting used to talking, getting used to conversation. It was beginning to feel more natural.

"Step inside," Cody ordered, standing next to a large, ornate-looking door.

"You're not coming?" Threes asked, starting to step towards the door. He stopped when Rex put a hand on his shoulder.

"No, and you're not either," he said. "This is his job and his alone."

"I'm so honored," I muttered under my breath, too quietly for the other clones to hear. For some reason, the comment just felt right. I recognized it as sarcasm, and wondered when I'd learned it.

It didn't matter as I walked through the door, which closed behind me. The room was dark, but I knew that I had to walk into the center of it. I could tell that the room was large, and brief flashes of lightning let me see that there were windows, and the shapes of beings in what were most likely chairs. I felt the urge to say something, but I knew it wouldn't be a good idea.

The only thing I heard for a few minutes was my breathing. At a few points, I could've sworn I heard the breathing of other things, but I couldn't be sure if it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

All of a sudden, blindingly bright lights switched on from the ceiling, making me shield my eyes even with my helmet on. I heard the blinds come away from the windows and as I removed my arm a flash of lightning lit up the room with a blue glow, making me blink. When I could see again, it took me a moment to process what I was seeing.

Sure, Captain Rex and Commander Cody had told me about the members of the Jedi council, their rank/role in the army, etc., but their sheer _presence _gave me a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was like something was physically pushing on my mind.

"Started, this meeting has," an old, modulated voice said. I kept still, looking at the speaker. It was Master Yoda; Rex had described him as a "small green Jedi", and for some reason that description was more than adequate to describe the oldest Jedi in existence.

"This is the new clone?" A man asked. He was sitting to Yoda's right, stroking his dull-orange beard. His bright blue eyes seemed to go right through me, something I found really uncomfortable. "He seems . . . quieter."

The weight on my mind only got heavier.

"His mind is curiously silent," another jedi remarked. He was a dark-skinned, bald-headed man, clothed in a tan tunic. His expression could only be described as . . . intense. _Mace Windu_, I thought.

"You are right," a holographic projection of a female jedi. I recognized her as Shaak Ti, the jedi leader of the clone operations on Kamino. "I only heard of him after he had been moved out of my facility."

The urge to speak as the Jedi Council discussed me was almost overwhelming, but I held myself back. It was easy to tell that I was not supposed to speak, so instead I focused on my breathing and staying completely still, staring straight ahead.

"I find it strange that this clone is so hard to sense in the Force," a gravelly voice said, interrupting my concentration. The jedi who I recognized as Plo Koon was staring at me, though it was hard to tell.

"I feel it too," the red-haired jedi said.

"Are you sure it's not just your old age, Obi-Wan?" A new person said. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a younger-looking jedi enter the room. The jedi named Obi-Wan - who I now recognized as Obi-Wan Kenobi, a very important jedi master - sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Anakin, you were _supposed_ to wait outside," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I'm _supposed_ to do a lot of things," the young jedi replied, moving so that he was more in my line of sight. He had darker brown hair, and was wearing a dark-colored tunic. One of his hands, I noticed, was prosthetic. It was the first time I'd seen a jedi with a prosthetic limb. Then again, I amended, it was the first time I'd ever seen jedi.

"Skywalker," Mace Windu began, his tone serious. Anakin sighed.

"Yes, I know, I disobeyed. But you can't expect me to simply sit outside while you talk about the new clone. Speaking of which-" he turned to me, getting uncomfortably close while his eyes bored through my visor- "you remind me of Rex." His eyes were a darker blue than Obi-Wan Kenobi's, but somehow, despite the behavior I'd already witnessed, his eyes were deadly serious.

The other jedi looked exasperated, like they knew they couldn't stop Anakin from doing something when he got it in his head to do so.

"Anakin, you already have a padawan. You do not need another clone trooper."

For some reason, I felt drawn to Anakin. The other jedi pushed down on me, but Anakin felt . . . different. Somehow, I knew I had to serve under him.

"Time to pick a jedi, it is," Yoda said gravely, instantly shutting up every jedi in the room. Even Anakin became quiet, backing away from me so that he was leaning against the wall near the door. Just then, lightning flashed, tinting the room blue for a split second. The whole experience made me feel like I was choking; the pressure was only building with each passing moment.

"Soldier, we will leave it up to you to choose a jedi to serve under," Obi-Wan Kenobi said. "Please make your choice carefully."

I stared back at him, then slowly turned in a circle, making eye contact with each of the jedi through my helmet. None of them fit in my mind; they wouldn't tolerate a headstrong, independent clone.

Then my eyes landed on one particular jedi.

Anakin Skywalker.

Taking a deep breath, I made my decision.

"I choose to serve under General Skywalker."

**So . . . anyone want to review? Please? I am actually planning on taking this story seriously; for some reason, the plot and characters got into my head, and anyone who has read my stories on Fictionpress knows I get a little carried away once I get more than 7,000 words into something. **

**Therefore please REVIEW!**

**-RoR**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_[files recovered from archive 9 uncorrupted/clean]_

There was instant pandemonium. The jedi were all talking at once, completely taken aback by my decision. Even General Skywalker himself looked surprised, even though he had come into the meeting with such confidence. Despite this, I stayed still, staring straight ahead.

"Quiet, this discussion shall be," Yoda said. Even though his voice was no louder, somehow all of the assembled jedi, even the holographic ones, quieted down. Anakin was smiling broadly, his arms crossed over his chest. Yoda turned to me, his expression grave. "Sure, you are, with your choice?"

It took me a second to rearrange the sentence in my mind.

"Yes, Master Yoda."

The jedi nodded slowly.

"Then come to an end, this meeting has."

"Master Yoda, surely this clone would be better suited under a jedi such as Mace Windu, or Obi-Wan Kenobi-" one jedi began, but Yoda shut him up with a look.

"Picked Anakin Skywalker, the clone did. Stay with Skywalker, he will."

There was some grumbled complaints - something I hadn't been expecting from the esteemed jedi - but it became silent quickly.

"Go with General Skywalker, you shall," Yoda said to me. "Learn from him and his men, you will."

"Yes, sir," I said, not really sure how to respond.

"Go now."

I turned and followed Anakin out of the room and back out into the hallway. When Rex saw who I was with, he groaned, but I could've sworn that it was almost relieved.

"General, do you really need another clone?"

"Always, Rex," Anakin replied with a smile. "Either way, we have to go. Ahsoka called me; she needs help on Felucia. The droids have a base there and it's proving to be too difficult for her to handle alone."

"Roger that, sir."

As I followed the group - I noticed that Cody was gone, probably back to his own group - I decided to talk with Threes.

"This is so weird," I began.

"How?" He replied.

"When I was in that room, it almost felt like I was being choked. There was so much . . . pressure."

"Pressure?"

"You've never felt it? It's pretty strong."

"No," Threes responded, shaking his head to emphasize what he was saying, "I've never felt it. Maybe you should tell General Skywalker about it."

"I don't think so. Plus, it's mostly gone now. Might've just been that room."

"Yeah. Maybe." Threes didn't sound convinced.

There was a gunship waiting on a platform outside the temple.

"You three go in there," Anakin ordered. "I have my own ship." He added the last part for my benefit. Following Rex, I stepped inside the gunship and grabbed onto one of the handles hanging from the ceiling of the craft. The doors slid shut and the ship took off, heading for one of the star destroyers hovering over Coruscant.

I said nothing during the trip, simply focusing on what was going on. Less than three weeks after I woke up, I was already heading for a cruiser under the direction of General Anakin Skywalker, one of the most headstrong yet effective jedi leaders of the Republic (Rex had been very clear that Anakin _did_ get things done, just in unorthodox ways). The Jedi Council was counting on me somehow getting the Clone Wars to end, the very reason I was created. Not only that, but the Republic was on the losing side of the Clone Wars, making my task even more difficult. On the plus side, I'd managed to learn almost everything I needed to know during my time at the space training facility. For some reason, my memory was near-perfect, allowing me to absorb information almost instantaneously.

Still, I didn't see how that would help me to _stop _an intergalactic _war_.

There was a sudden shift in the atmosphere, and I suddenly felt much lighter.

"Welcome to space," I heard Threes mutter over the comms. channel.

"Shut up," I replied. "This is probably supposed to be serious."

I heard him snicker, but he didn't say anything else.

When we arrived on the jedi cruiser, Rex immediately headed for the bridge. After glancing at each other, Threes and I followed, barely getting into the same lift as Rex before the door closed.

"No disrespect," I said as we walked, "but what's the rush?"

"Anakin is already at the bridge," Rex replied tightly. "It's usually best if we don't keep him waiting."

Shrugging, Threes and I went after Rex, arriving at the command portion of the bridge in just under five minutes. As the door slid closed behind me, Anakin Skywalker looked up from the holo-table that he was standing over. Next to him, I recognized Admiral Yularen, which meant that I was on the _Resolute_, Anakin's ship. While I had suspected that before, the Admiral removed all doubt from my mind.

"General," Rex said, walking over to Anakin. "We're ready."

"Good," Anakin replied. "Get this ship ready for a jump to hyperspace. I want to be at Geonosis as soon as possible."

I felt kind of awkward as I was led out again. If Rex was in such a hurry, why did I leave so quickly? Nothing had even happened.

"Get to your quarters," Rex ordered. "Threes, you go with him. You two are staying on B deck, got it?"

"Got it, sir," Threes replied.

It took us twenty minutes to find the correct room, which Threes and I were staying in together.

_Journal entry 10_

_Date: -/-_

_The jedi cruisers are impressive ships. From what I have seen of the weapons systems, I would be hard-pressed to find a different vehicle that could withstand an assault. _

_Threes says we might as well rest, because Geonosis is a war zone right now. From what I remember, that planet has already had two major battles fought on it, but the inhabitants are now rebelling, and the Separatists have come to their aid. Somehow, I'm supposed to help with that conflict._

_As of right now, I am still unranked, which bothers me. In the back of my mind, I know I should have a rank. The idea that I don't is unsettling, almost as if I am missing something even when I am not._

_General Skywalker continues to confuse me. His padawan is still a mystery to me, and so is Skywalker's behavior. At the Council meeting, he was rash and insubordinate, but now he is serious. He strikes me as one of the people who completely switch tact as the situation demands it, though the Jedi Council meeting did not fit that idea at all._

_Either way, I think I will find General Skywalker a more than adequate leader._

**Anyone? Reviews? Suggestions? Corrections? Please?**

**-RoR**


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